Festivus: The alternative Christmas holiday you need to know about

‘A Festivus for the rest of us!’

Have you ever heard of the term “Festivus”? If you’re a fan of 90s sitcom Seinfeld, then it may ring a bell.

Festivus is a secular holiday typically celebrated on December 23.

It was first introduced during a season nine episode of Seinfeld, which aired on December 19 1997.

In the episode, Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld) explains to Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) how the tradition was first conceived by the patriarch of the Costanza family.

“When George was growing up, his father hated all the commercial and religious aspects of Christmas, so he made up his own holiday,” he said, much to her amusement.

The idea actually first came about when Dan O’Keefe, the father of Seinfeld writer Daniel O’Keefe, was celebrating the anniversary of his first date with his wife, Deborah.

The version of Festivus that’s portrayed in the show varies slightly from the holiday celebrated by the O’Keefe family in real life.

According to Seinfeld episode “The Strike,” there are many elements that make up a traditional Festivus.

These include the Festivus pole, the Festivus dinner, the Airing of Grievances, the Feats of Strength and the Festivus miracles.

Frank Costanza (Jerry Stiller) explains the significance of the unadorned Festivus pole in a scene, stating: “I find tinsel distracting.”

Allen Salkin, a journalist for The New York Times and author of the book Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us, described the holiday as: “The perfect secular theme for an all-inclusive December gathering.”

The all-inclusive nature of Festivus has seemingly caught on with fans of the show and beyond.

In 2012, Google introduced a custom search for the term “Festivus” - when you type the word in the search bar and click enter, you’ll be treated to your very own Festivus pole on the side of the page.

If you’re holding a long-standing grudge with a family member, then hosting a Festivus meal may be the ideal place to air your grievances.

As they would say on Seinfeld: “A Festivus for the rest of us!"